TO YOU, SINCERELY FROM ME.
‘“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” — Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
My special guest this week is you:
A few days ago, I posted a link to a form on my Instagram story, and I’m happy for the tables to be turned. You wrote, I read.
The purpose of this was to show that personal development isn’t just a solo project. YOU, my incredible readers, are already doing the work in small, impactful ways. You didn’t just share your stories — you showed me (and anyone else reading) that we’re all dealing with something. So first, thank you. It takes courage to share your struggles with strangers. And second, let me try to do your voices justice, because the responses were genuinely heartwarming.
I asked for:
A reflection of your week
Your challenges
Your goals
Your dream life
The last one was inspired by T.A.P #2: Becoming Who I Want to Be (check it out before or after you read this)
The Accountability Project
This whole project is new, and I’m still finding my feet in the content creation space. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much. But to my surprise and delight, you responded with honesty, with vulnerability, with real emotion. And that’s exactly what this space is for.
Your responses reminded me that what I do here is bigger than me. It’s not just about the happenings in my own little world. It’s about us — because even when we don’t say it out loud, everyone is working through something.
This week’s post is a love letter to you. I asked:
‘What is a challenge you overcame this week?’
I’ll go first. For me, it was about slowing down and giving myself some grace.
I have a habit of conjuring up these grand ideas, but then never seeing them through, mostly because I burn myself out before I even begin. So, as I try to take accountability in different areas of my life, I decided to start slow and map out a realistic blueprint for how I want things to go.
This week, that looked like:
Washing and drying clothes throughout the week, so I didn’t end up with a mountain to tackle on the weekend. Breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks made a huge difference.
Showing up more. I’ve been a bit of a hermit lately, so this week I made the effort to go out and reconnect with a few old friends.
Money and diet. I stuck to buying groceries twice a week. This helped limit food waste, reduce unnecessary spending, and forced me to plan. Instead of relying on motivation or telling myself “I’ll do it tomorrow,” I just did it—especially if it was a task that could be done in 30 minutes or less.
I also got back into the habit of writing daily to-do lists, which helped me avoid getting ahead of myself and allowed me to break down tasks one day at a time.
Now to you…
“Overcoming a mountain of uni assignments”
To this I say: Find even the smallest of wins and make them a victory. Getting through that workload is a victory. And as a fellow uni student, I know you’re probably juggling a million other things. It’s not just what you achieve, it’s how you achieve it.
“Learning how to approach strangers and let go of the idea that it has to be awkward”
YES. I think it’s less about awkwardness and more about the vulnerability of being seen by someone new. With friends and family, there’s no expectation, or maybe too much expectation, but at the bottom line, they know us. But with strangers? No bond, no security. They might not mesh very well with us, or they might end up becoming something special. It is the unknown that’s awkward and uncomfortable.
If this helps:
My best friend of eight years? Once a total stranger. She walked up to me at a new school and said, “I like your eyebrows.” Which, to this day, I still think is a lie. That was it. Many a laugh, a cry, and sticky situation later, we are still by each other’s sides, and not only that, but I have met a lot of incredible people who have remained in my life by simply striking up a conversation with a stranger or at least had an interesting conversation or two.
So, yes. Talk to strangers. Break past the comfort zone. You never know what could blossom.
“I broke up with my first love and finally chose myself”
I am so proud of you. Choosing yourself is hard, especially when it comes to love. But you did it. You knew it would hurt, and you still did it.
From grief comes growth. Choosing yourself means you know who you are and what you need. That’s real self-love. And here’s a reminder: first loves are rarely your last. Each new love will feel like your first because it’s new. And you have something powerful on your side: time.
Time to grow, to heal, to explore, and to love again. This is the beginning of something beautiful. Hold in there.
Facing the fear of being perceived in a way I can’t control.
What a strange thing it is—for others to form an idea of us that we have no control over. It’s weird because most of us have a basic understanding of who we are and what we bring to the table. So when people make assumptions or speak about us in ways that don’t align with our sense of self, it can be pretty jarring.
But the truth is, how we perceive others is often just a reflection of ourselves—our backgrounds, biases, and the beliefs we’ve picked up along the way. Someone might look at what I post online and think I’m egotistical or attention-seeking. To someone else, the same content might come across as comforting or a calm space.
But regardless of whether people perceive me positively or negatively, I carry on. Why? Because I know myself. I know my intentions. And unless someone offers constructive feedback, their perception doesn’t phase me.
The truth is: not everyone is going to like you. And honestly, it would be exhausting if you tried to like everyone you met. It would also be manipulative to walk into a room, firmly say “this is who I am,” and expect everyone to just take your word for it. That’s not how life works, and that’s something we have to get comfortable with.
As hard as it is to accept that some people won’t like us—or won’t see us as we see ourselves-it’s necessary. We can’t control people’s perceptions of us. And trying to? pointless.
I get it. I do. I almost didn’t start this blog because I was scared of being seen. I was afraid of what people might think that I’d come across as annoying, embarrassing, uninteresting, or a fraud.
But here’s what I’ve learned:
If people only see what I allow them to see, then any bond I build with them won’t be real. It’ll be shallow. Draining. A performance.
So, be yourself. Let people think whatever they’re going to think.
The most important thing is knowing who you are—your values, your non-negotiables, your truth. Once you’re anchored in that, people’s opinions lose their power.
Because one: they’re probably wrong.
And two: it’s a massive waste of energy trying to appease people who don’t even know or attempt to discover the real you.
‘What’s one goal you have for yourself. This week, this month, and this year?’
This week: I want to do my best, even if my best today is less than it was yesterday.
This month: I want to build a foundation for my future through this blog, my studies, my work, and my relationships.
This year: I want to look back and say, “I did that.” Then whip up some new goals and go again.
Now, your turn:
“Find new details in my work and hobbies I haven’t admired before.”
Let’s define “admire”: to regard with respect or warm approval.
This week: Note what you’ve made or worked on. What do you genuinely admire about it? Effort? Creativity? The time and patience you put into it?
This month: Create something new inspired by what you’ve noticed. Build something you’re proud of.
This year: Keep growing. Keep learning. Find joy in the process.
“Get through it in one piece. Prioritise sleep.”
Absolutely. Survival is still success, and it should be celebrated! Do your best, even if it fluctuates day to day. You’ve got this.
“This month: Take better care of my diet. Learn to cook more instead of relying on takeout.”
Same here. Some suggestions:
Start simple. Make cooking fun.
Recreate your favourite takeout meals at home.
Don’t use food as a reward or punishment, as food is a need, not a prize.
Make meals feel like something special: dress up, eat outside, turn it into a little date.
Cook with a friend. Host a potluck. Share the joy of it. Associate it with your community.
“I’d love to grow my social circle and keep meeting new people.”
This is a beautiful goal. Community truly matters.
One group I recommend is @biggerbetterthingsclub, a Melbourne-based social group run by women that focuses on real, offline connections. I went to a dinner once. Was it kind of awkward at first? Yes, absolutely lol. But I left with a full heart after chatting and laughing with a room full of strangers. It was a real connection, and it was so worth it, even if it was for one night.
AND lastly, you said “be financially stable without hating my life (aka trying not to be a slave to capitalism)” — I liked this one, so thank you for sharing! Because I have a blog on financial accountability coming soon and you may find it helpful, but I will give you a little teaser of what’s to come:
Snippet from ‘The Accountability Project — #4 Money Talks”
“Let's address the elephant in the room: the economy is abysmal. Job prospects? Even worse. You need to be overworked, overqualified, or willing to be underpaid just to get hired…if you even hear back at all. So if you're unemployed, on Centrelink, or living paycheck to paycheck. I see you. It’s hard out here with a capital H.”
TIP 5 — Step Away from Temptation:
“Unsubscribe from those emails and texts promising "$10 off." Even if you ignore them, they plant the seed. The same goes for influencers. They are walking ads with their "I'm obsessed with this" and ‘Must have content” content. You may need to mute or unfollow. It is just pretty capitalism at the end of the day.”
ONE WORD. DIFFERENT REALITIES.
Some of your words this week:
Serene — calm, peaceful, and untroubled.
Hard—done with strength or effort.
Adjustment — the process of adapting.
Rewarding — providing satisfaction.
Disappointment — sadness and lack of fulfillment.
If I had to describe my week in one word, it would be: confronting.
Not in a bad way, but in a way that made me face things I was avoiding. Conversations. Emotions. Habits. I looked in the mirror and asked:
“Are you reallyyyy doing the work, or are you just saying you are?”
I had to sit with some hard truths. I can be avoidant. I chase validation where I should be setting boundaries. Growth doesn’t always feel like progress sometimes; it just feels exhausting.
But that’s accountability, right? It’s not always empowering. Sometimes it just… sucks.
Still, I showed up. I’m here. That’s something— that is enough.
What does your dream life look like?
Here’s what you said:
“A job that challenges me but doesn’t break me.”
“To live overseas again, maybe Berlin or Amsterdam. To feel free.”
“To love my work and be proud of it.”
“To be self-sustainable. To be remembered as kind.”
“A life full of trinkets and stability and support.”
And the part that stuck with me most:
“Mid-life crisis that guides me into the direction of working in the fashion industry (my second wind)”
You do not need to have a mid-life crisis or be in a crisis at all to pursue something you want to do. To do something you like, maybe even love, you gotta play the field. Try new things, explore. fail and try again because success doesn’t come from finally getting to that place. It comes from your ‘failures’ and all the effort and time that was put into it. Failures—like hindsight exist so you can have the experience under your belt and know how to proceed forward. We are not always supposed to be on the grind. Not always striving for perfection. Not pretending you’ve got it all figured out. Just be real with yourself, ask yourself what you want, how to get there, and work on things daily that’ll get you closer to being there.
And with that I will leave you with this quote:
‘“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” — Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
This is from a book about a man who dreams of finding hidden treasure, and on his journey, he meets a variety of characters who all give a purpose to his travels. Someone educated, someone he falls in love with, and a wise man who guides him through to the understanding that real treasure is not tangible, it is found within self-discovery, persistence, and following your heart.
And I believe it resonates with a lot of the same thing as what you guys shared with me in this form, because the man faces betrayal, loss, doubt, and learns that the heart knows its way and it’ll guide you down the path you’re supposed to be on. Lastly, he meets fellow travelers searching for different things but for the same reasons, and it is a reminder that we are living like solo, but it does not mean we are alone in our battles.
So with that, I will say: I enjoyed putting this together, and I plan to do it again with different questions and hopefully new answers. To everyone who shared their stories with me, thank you! I hope this blog gave you some comfort and some inspiration. Some things you guys wrote I didn’t include in here because I ramble and no one signed up to read a novel, but I saw them, and I see you. I am so proud of you and even though I don’t know who you are. I do know that whatever is weighing you down, you can get yourself back up, but just be kind to yourself, show some compassion and empathy to yourself because you are worthy and deserving of it. I don’t need to know who you are to know that.
I will be leaving a form below. Please feel free to share more with me, give me feedback, or if you are feeling brave, you can email or private message me. As always — ‘Outsidemyjournal’ AND especially ‘The Accountability Project’ will always be an accepting, uplifting, welcoming, judgement-free space.
I write this for us.
Till next week, when I share my thoughts on financial accountability in T.A.P #4
— Liz
